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Konstantinos Lefkimmiatis

Principal Investigator

Konstantinos Lefkimmiatis investigates how cells transmit internal signals to function properly. In particular, he focuses on understanding how the nucleus and mitochondria — the cell’s “power plants” — communicate with each other. His research helps shed light on the mechanisms underlying heart disease, cancer, and aging. He has received funding from major international research institutions and has developed innovative tools to observe cellular signaling in real time. His work paves the way for new strategies to prevent and treat various diseases.

Group members

Alessandra Tavoni

  • PhD student

Research

Konstantinos Lefkimmiatis’s research focuses on understanding how cells communicate internally and how different compartments — such as the nucleus and mitochondria — coordinate their activities. His group has identified new mechanisms that regulate this communication and control the activity of key genes. Using advanced optical tools and modern genetic techniques, they observe cellular signals in real time. His goal is to understand how these processes influence age-related, metabolic, and cancer diseases, in order to identify new therapeutic opportunities. His research is supported by major national and international funding programs.

Publications

  1. Phosphatases Control the Duration and Range of cAMP/PKA Microdomains.

    Conca F, Bayburtlu DK, Vismara M, Surdo NC, Tavoni A, Nogara L, Sarra A, Ciciliot S, Di Benedetto G, Iannucci LF, Lefkimmiatis K. Function (Oxf). 2025 Mar 24;6(2):zqaf007. doi: 10.1093/function/zqaf007.

  2. Cyclic AMP induces reversible EPAC1 condensates that regulate histone transcription.

    Iannucci LF, D’Erchia AM, Picardi E, Bettio D, Conca F, Surdo NC, Di Benedetto G, Musso D, Arrigoni C, Lolicato M, Vismara M, Grisan F, Salviati L, Milanesi L, Pesole G, Lefkimmiatis K. Nat Commun. 2023 Sep 8;14(1):5521. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-41088-x.

  3. PRKA/PKA signals and autophagy: space matters.

    Iannucci LF, Di Benedetto G, Lefkimmiatis K. Autophagy. 2021 Jun;17(6):1563-1564. doi: 10.1080/15548627.2021.1924501. Epub 2021 May 10.

  4. PKA compartmentalization links cAMP signaling and autophagy.

    Grisan F, Iannucci LF, Surdo NC, Gerbino A, Zanin S, Di Benedetto G, Pozzan T, Lefkimmiatis K. Cell Death Differ. 2021 Aug;28(8):2436-2449. doi: 10.1038/s41418-021-00761-8. Epub 2021 Mar 19.

  5. Compartmentalized Signaling in Aging and Neurodegeneration.

    Di Benedetto G, Iannucci LF, Surdo NC, Zanin S, Conca F, Grisan F, Gerbino A, Lefkimmiatis K. Cells. 2021 Feb 22;10(2):464. doi: 10.3390/cells10020464.

Curriculum

2006

PhD in Genetics and Molecular Evolution

2013 - 2016

Scolarship - Università di Oxford, Oxford, Regno Unito

2017 - 2019

Researcher - Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)

2017 - 2023

Associate Professor of Physiology - Università degli Studi di Pavia

2017 - present

Principal Investigator - VIMM

2023 - present

Full Professor of Physiology - Università degli Studi di Pavia

Selected Awards

2008

Postdoctoral Fellowship - American Heart Association

2012

Research Fellowship - British Heart Foundation

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